This is a case of an employee whom developed carpal tunnel syndrome through her repetitive movements of the hand on an automotive assembly line. She was not offered a "meaningful return-to-work" opportunity when she returned back to the factory, which made her eligible for additional worker's compensation benefits. Alicia D. Howell, a former employee of Nissan North America, Inc., began working for the company back in 2003. Ms. Howell worked along the assembly line during the night shift. The production line she worked on required the use of a pneumatic gun to bolt parts on V-8 motors. This production line was known as the "ZH" line. In August 2006, 3 years later, Ms. Howell among other employees were being trained to work on the "TR" production line, which also required the use of a pneumatic gun. |  |
It was around this time when "Ms. Howell testified that she began feeling pain, numbness, and tingling in both of her hands." She continued to have these symptoms for some time and finally reported her injuries to Nissan on September 14, 2006. Nissan then referred her to Dr. Richard Rogers, an orthopaedic surgeon. Unfortunately, due to repetitive motions of the hand and wrists through the use of the pneumatic gun, Ms. Howell was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome. She had carpal tunnel release surgery done on her right hand on November 11, 2006, and on her left hand on January 3, 2007. Ms. Howell was later released to return to work with the restriction that she should not operate a pneumatic gun. Although Dr. Rogers has allowed her to return to work, Ms. Howell testified that Nissan did not allow her to return to work due to her restrictions caused by her injuries. When she finally returned to Nissan after Dr. Rogers released her a second time on April 23, 2007, with no work restrictions, the company did not provide her with meaningful work that she would be capable of doing due to limitations resulting from her injury. Ms. Howell was forced to return to the "TR" production line where she could not keep up with the speed and she continued to experience symptoms in her hand. She was unable to hold, grasp things, and was very slow at her work which lead to her receiving a verbal warning from her supervisor about her poor work performance. Soon Ms. Howell went on a medical leave due to other non-work-related problems and eventually she was forced to resign from her position at Nissan due to her lack of ability for the job.
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